Sue
Umm yes no babysitting the pacer...that should be a given. But than being a woman if my good friend hurt herself or was really sick I wouldn't feel right leaving her. So that would be a bummer! Maybe best to go it alone.
I think pacers are nice to keep you company at times, but sometimes the runner can end up being the babysitter. I am not a particularly fast runner in the 100 mile distance, but I have moments of really good sections, usually between 40 and 60. I used a pacer in 2014. I picked him up at mile 41 and dropped him before we got to mile 42 coming down a technical section of mountain. I got to the bottom and waited for him. Then, at mile 49 or 50, he twisted his ankle so bad that he could barely walk. After about a half mile, I told him I would let the next aid station know that my pacer was injured. I had to get while the getting was good. My brother picked up my pacer and met me at mile 85 to finish the run with me. It was leisurely at that point. I didn't need a pacer at mile 85. Thus, I think it is important to make sure everyone is on the same page regarding expectations, which should be: If you are the pacer and cannot keep up, you will be left. Whether you are the runner or the pacer, the runner is always the priority.
05/13/23 Traverse City Trail Festival 25K
08/19/23 Marquette 50 dns 🙄
Plan to do 5 after work today. I was up doing some work e-mails last night so I didn't feel like getting up early today.
I know FTYC and Sandy also had similar injuries from falls.
Yup, count me in. The same superman fall (on a sidewalk no less) nailed both of my shoulders, but one shoulder a little worse than the other. I did go to the doctor and luckily no permanent issues, but it did take about a year to fully recover. Even now I get pangs when I move it just right. Last week in London an Italian guy I was meeting with fell while crossing the street and messed up his shoulder, he went to the doc and the next day he came into the meeting with a sling. I think "... shoulders are the new knee injury ..." .
qotd: I also prefer to go it alone. I always say it's because I'm really stubborn, I'm too stubborn not to finish. Or, I'm too stubborn to listen to a pacer. I have been paced a couple of times, and the company was appreciated though. I also have been crewed by my DS and DD a few times and I did really like that (Western States, Pinhoti, Leadville, Hardrock), it was great looking forward to seeing them at the next aid station. But either pacing or crewing, I agree it is only if they want to do it. You'll note that the runs I listed are more like destination runs and I think they really wanted to get away rather than crew me... .
I really enjoy crewing/pacing other people, even LB2. I crew my DD on her horse rides, and just recently crew/paced her in her 50 mile run.
tbd.
Went to the eye doctor this morning. Now I can barely see the computer screen and have a headache from getting my eyes dilated. Oh yea, the visit elicited a $884.00 bill. That includes two sets of frames with Transitions lenses and anti-glare coatings. Gotta love eyes that are extremely sensitive to light .
Getting ready to head out for a 6-7 mile run. Almost shorts weather.
AT - Sounds like my wife's injury. She just said "ouch" when I told her what you had.
Muppy - Since when is being able to do 20.2 miles being out of shape. If I tried 15 right now it would take me a week to recover unless I walked a bunch of it.
QOTD: Never used one yet. I really wished I would have had DW crew for me at Tussey although that might have been a bad thing as I was feeling so bad at times I might have quit if she would have been there to drive me back.
A very pleasant and not so plodding 7 miles at lunchtime on the trails of Coventry Woods with the Lady. Sunny finally after days/weeks of grey skies, fog, mist, rain, wind and gloom. Decent temperature too for January. Nearly 50 degrees and thus a glove free run. Not too much carnage in the woods from the Noreaster' this week. I did see a pretty good size branch down across on of the trails that caused quite a mess but I was able to leverage that sucker back into the woods.
QOTD: I don't find in necessary, and have done ultras with and without pacers. My hundreds though my running partner/best friend has always tagged along and done some crewing pacing. He typically just runs the last section, night part of the race with me. I always apologize for giving him such a slow workout. I used to crew/pace him as well, but he stopped racing a few years back. I find it more enjoyable having some company for race weekend for the 100's.
AT - I've seen signs like that on a trail in FL used by mountain bikers. I kept waiting for the difficult part. LOL.
LB2 - Do you know of any trails near Shreveport, LA? I am going to be there for a week (work thing) in early April. They'd need to be 30 minutes most from town to be convenient.
In dog beers, I've only had one.
Tim
And hey, you should do the surgery yourself. How hard could it be? It isn't brain surgery!!! Hahahaha
Yesterday, I just read an old article about a Russian surgeon who was stationed at Antarctica and had to take out his own appendix. Has pictures and everything.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
MTB'ers have then all over Michaux now, but I can't seem to see the reasoning behind what they call difficult vs easy. This trail I was on was wide and now nearly as rocky as most in the area. HAd a few steep sections, but more like rollers vs. long climbs.
Unfortunately, I don't know much about that area at all.
LB2